As Census workers fan out this month to complete the nation's once-a-decade headcount, leaders of both political parties are amassing war chests for the high-stakes political battle that it will trigger.

Wade Phillips is sticking around as coach of the Dallas Cowboys for two more years. Dallas won the NFC East for the second time in Phillips' three seasons. The team also won its first playoff game since 1996 and the first in Phillips' head coaching career. The Cowboys are 34-17 over his three seasons in charge. Only three NFL teams have won more games in that span.

A key Senate panel approved an $829 billion health care bill Tuesday, advancing President Obama's broad vision to reshape the insurance system further than any other such bill has in more than a generation.

This was the year corporate governance experts predicted that investors, stung by plunging stock prices as the recession intensified, would finally demand big changes in CEO pay levels and ineffective boards.